Sectoring a structure

[Oldrookie611]

My department sectors a structure in the following manner:
Exterior sides being 1-4 or referred to as "Exposure 1-4(1=command side, 2=left side facing, 3=rear, 4=right side facing.
We take it a step further and sector the interior like this:
A=left front corner
B=left rear corner
C=right rear corner
D=right front corner
E= center of structure
Sector A/2= left front corner of 2nd floor

Now, NIMS/ICS and others label a structure as A-D. A=1 (above), etc.

What do you do?

[fireman4949]

My department sectors a structure in the following manner:
Exterior sides being 1-4 or referred to as "Exposure 1-4(1=command side, 2=left side facing, 3=rear, 4=right side facing.
We take it a step further and sector the interior like this:
A=left front corner
B=left rear corner
C=right rear corner
D=right front corner
E= center of structure
Sector A/2= left front corner of 2nd floor

Now, NIMS/ICS and others label a structure as A-D. A=1 (above), etc.

What do you do?

We use the same designations as you do.




Kevin

[ChicagoFF]

My department sectors a structure in the following manner:
Exterior sides being 1-4 or referred to as "Exposure 1-4(1=command side, 2=left side facing, 3=rear, 4=right side facing.
We take it a step further and sector the interior like this:
A=left front corner
B=left rear corner
C=right rear corner
D=right front corner
E= center of structure
Sector A/2= left front corner of 2nd floor

Now, NIMS/ICS and others label a structure as A-D. A=1 (above), etc.

What do you do?

I'm pretty sure they would say "Get a g*@@^mn line to the front of the second floor" I'm not sure how to put it in laymans terms, but that is the technical jargon.

[AerialTrainer]

My department sectors a structure in the following manner:
Exterior sides being 1-4 or referred to as "Exposure 1-4(1=command side, 2=left side facing, 3=rear, 4=right side facing.
We take it a step further and sector the interior like this:
A=left front corner
B=left rear corner
C=right rear corner
D=right front corner
E= center of structure
Sector A/2= left front corner of 2nd floor

What is this good for?

Why don`t you use normal terms to say what you mean?

[fireman4949]

What is this good for?

Why don`t you use normal terms to say what you mean?

What exactly would you classify as "normal tems"?
Right side, left side, etc?...Who's left? Who's right?
N.E. corner? West side?...What if the structure isn't north/south oriented?

Using a system that is applicable to 95% of structures keeps everyone on the same page.

If you use geographic terms, or compass points, there may be cofusion among personnel on scene, as well as arriving crews. Not everyone has a built-in compass.




Kevin

[Frmboybuck]

The standard has always been a,b,c,d....A being the "front" exposure where you have the aparatus parked. Then you go clockwise with the rest. So if you have the pumper on the north side it would be A, B would be to the East, C would be South, and D would be West....Thats what we have always used

[VinnieB]

Exposure 1 side= Front
Exposure 2 side= Left Side
Exposure 3 side= Rear
Exposure 4 side= Right Side

Typically the word "side" isn't used. Most would say "fire blowing from 4 windows on exposure 4, 5th floor"

We don't use letters to describe side because letters are reserved for additional buildings that are next to or adjoining the fire building. Exposure "4A" would be the first building on the right of the exposure 4 side of the fire building. The exception would be taxpayers, a single building with many different occupancies. (1-2 story commecial "strip mall") In that case...a zero is used to define the fire building. exposure 04, 04A, 04B...etc etc.

As for floors, we just call them floors.

[NonSurfinCaFF]

We use A,B,C etc (clockwise), for exterior divisions, interior divisions are numbered. If you need to talk about a corner its just the A/B break, B/C break etc. Exposures are just Structure, propane tank or whatever on Div B, Div C etc.

On a large incident like a wildland fire or big hazmat spill it starts with Div A on the left, there are generally large gaps between letters for expansion, so Div X is generally the right flank and Div M would be the next Div between Div A and X, as the fire grows the letters start to fill in as needed.

[MemphisE34a]

I'm all for plain language as well - sometimes we definately overdue things. Having said that, technically, all you you arguing specifics are wrong. There are no sectors in NIMS / ICS. Geographic areas are described as divisions.

Really, look it up.

[RFDACM02]

To fall inline with NIMS we changed the word "side" to "division". Side 1 became Division 1. Exposures are still "Exposure 2, 2a, 2b..." Floors remain floors. Using lettering becomes confusing with masks on. The muffled yell of a FF requesting a ladder to the A/D corner is not easy enough to discern from the A/B corner. If you use the phonetic alphabet it works out. Alpha/Delta corner vs. A/D corner.